Miller Joiner knew early on he loved to build things. “I was always
putting things together. It was a natural thing for me.” With the help
of a UNF education, Joiner turned that talent into a business designing
and building custom homes in the Jacksonville area.
Joiner
started out going to the University of Florida but quickly discovered
he needed a different educational setting. “I decided to transfer to
UNF because of the smaller class sizes. The University of Florida was
extremely competitive but it wasn’t working for me. The smaller school
atmosphere at UNF really helped me.”
Joiner was able to work
construction during the day while attending UNF at night. But the
education he received at UNF also gave Joiner another important asset –
confidence to go out on his own. “It instilled in me a sense of
independence,” said Joiner, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
technology in 1987.
Joiner started his career working for
some of the major developers in Jacksonville. He worked at Atlantic
Builders, Schultz Construction and Wieland Homes to name a few before
deciding to go out on his own opening Miller Joiner Residential
Construction Inc. in 1995.
Joiner finds designing and
building homes, especially those in the million-dollar plus category,
very rewarding. “I can go by a house I’ve built and be proud of it.
There is a piece of me in that home.”
He also enjoys the
changing nature of construction. “Construction is very fluid. It is
constantly changing. Our techniques change, my clients change, the
homes are different. There are always new challenges.”
When
he’s not building homes, Joiner is building model airplanes, a hobby he
has pursued for many years. While flying the model planes is enjoyable,
he admits he also enjoys the sense of community with other flying
enthusiasts in the area.
That sense of community extends to
volunteer activities. As a member of the Florida Home Builders
Association, Joiner is involved in charitable partnerships with Toys
for Tots and the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
A member of a fifth-generation Florida family, Joiner is married to Sandi. The couple has one son, Parker.
While
the housing business is cyclical, Joiner knows his skills are permanent
and he is thankful UNF was there to nurture him at a critical time in
his life.
